Nevada County picayune., 1887-02-02
BATTLE OF ARKANSAS POST.
Missouri Republican

have waited & long time for some one to write a description of the interesting "Tales of the War" but as no one will do so have de- termined to try my hand myself. Barley in the winter of 1S62-3 our brigade (Granberry's), at that time commanded byGen. Churchill, went into winter quarters at Arkansas Post on the Arkansas river. Pine and cypress being plentiful we built excellent houses of pine logs coy cred with cypress boards. The houses were the best I saw during the war, and as we were comforta- hly situated we had anticipated spending @ very pleasant winter, but as the seque; will show in this instance the rebs proposed and the Tanks disposed. Some two weeks before the battle a party of our men captured steamboat, the Blue Wing Nc. ?. on the Mississip. pi river, and brought it up to Ar kansas Post. This boat, with the stone coal on it, was q great curi- oslts to our men, the greater DOT ton of them never having seen either, and it was amusing to see them pick up the Jumps of coal, examine them critically and then wonder "how in the thunder they manage to burn the snuff, any how" The officers captured on the boat were something of a curi- osity to all of us, for they were the first we had seen since the he. ginning of the war. They were paroled the next day. It was said that there would have been no battle at Arkansas Post at that time had 1t not been for the cap ture of this boat. for the Yankees Were under the impression that the water was too low to admit of the passage of gunboats until we convinced them of their error by bringing the boat up to the Post, About noon of Friday, January 9, 1863, news reached us that the federal army at Vicksburg was coming up the river on transports accompanied by gunboats. A few minutes after the news reached us we were ordered to prepare three days rations and be ready to march at a moments notice. Then all was hustle and excitement, and the men were in high spirits. 1t was to be their first battle, and everyone expected and was anxious to distinguish himself. No thought of defeat entered our minds, no matter how great the numbers of the enemy might prove. About the mia dle of the afternoon We were ordered to
 FALL IN.
 Our captains uamo was McAllis- ter. He was magnificent looking man, and was armed with q sword, a siX-shooter, a rifle and double barrelled shotgun. When we were ordered to fall in he buckled on his sword and siX-shooter, slloul dered his shotgun, and then made us a stirring little speech, in which he said one rebel was equal to if. ty Yankees. and closed wit h.: "Now, boys, when you see me run it's time for you to run." After listening to this speech of our gal lant captains we felt as though, with him at our head, we could lick a whole regiment of Yankees. We were then ordered to march down the river. After marching about mile one of the boys point ed down the river and yelled out: "Look there's the smoke of the gunb0atsw We cast our eyes in the direction indicated. and sure enongl there was the smoke in plain view, though con siderable distance below us. By strange coincidence just as the smoke of the gunboats were discovered our captain turned deathly pale and leaned against tree for support. He told us he was suddenly taken with severe cramps, bnt that a glass of whisky wouid set him all right, and that he would he with us again in an hour or so. This sudden stroke was a great blow as we'll as a surprise to us, but Lieut.. Burns immediately took coiomi nd of Us aud we managed to bear mp